Protecting my laptop

OK, so for some time now, our wireless network has been unprotected. Not sure what went wrong, but for some reason, our personal wireless network went away. Figured no big deal, we have McAfee protection, we're fine.

So last night, some program called Spy Defender Pro popped up on the laptop not long after I fired the computer up. I knew for a fact I didn't download anything like that -- I try not to download anything I don't need, period. I did a Google search and found it's some sort of spyware/Trojan virus. I deleted that program from the computer ASAP, then ran a McAfee scan that found and quarantined 25 items. That same Spy Defender Pro ad come up when I rebooted the computer, though. Gave up, went to sleep.

Today, I decided to ditch the wireless, we're going high-speed Internet with the cable connection to make the computer more secure (at least I think it would be). All seems well in my wife's setup, and no items came up when I did another McAfee search this afternoon. I'm going to test it again after the Super Bowl party we're going to when I log in to my account/individual settings.
Does it sound like I'm making the right moves here? Is there anything more I can do? And what can I do if that Spy Defender Pro reappears -- is there any programs that won't hurt my computer that I could run to rid the laptap of it?

I don't know, sir. I enjoy having both the wireless and high-speed, so I'd never give up either of them. If you feel your system's safer, it's better for the mind -- and that might be worth the switch.

We're using Internet Explorer, but I heard Firefox helps protect better. I downloaded it once, didn't like it and figured McAfee ought to protect against attacks well enough. Now I'm considering Firefox again.

We're using Internet Explorer, but I heard Firefox helps protect better. I downloaded it once, didn't like it and figured McAfee ought to protect against attacks well enough. Now I'm considering Firefox again.

Click to expand...

McAfee sucks at nearly everything. Spybot and AdAware are better choices. From the Mozilla groups: Firefox is very good, K-Meleon (also from Mozilla) is decent and the application formerly known as Netscape Communicator soldiers on as the open-source Mozilla SeaMonkey (browser, e-mail/USENET, IRC chat, HTML editor) and supports Firefox plugins. Netscape Navigator is still available, but support ends March 1.

If you really wanted to stop spyware, you'd have to switch to some variant of Unix (Linux, FreeBSD, &c.).

That damn Spy Defender Pro shit is the bane of my Internet existence. It seems like every computer I've used has been infected with the thing at least once.

I realized that it came from visiting music lyrics sites. Have you done that recently? Those things are like a gateway to hell. One visit is all you need for the crap to come funneling through.

And I've never heard of spyware/viruses transferring from one computer to another via a wireless network - but that doesn't mean it can't happen, I guess. Just don't be so willing to point to that as the reason why it happened.